January’s Class of 2027 Prospect Roulette

<p>We conclude a week of Prospect Roulette with the Class of 2027, a class that is stacked with promising talent.</p>   <p>Here's how it works: I'll pop up a random number generator that includes the 110 players in the 2027 rankings. I'll generate eight numbers and the eight that come up will be the ranking of the player. I'll then spotlight those players in the article to help give them some more attention. I will then take two random numbers from the 39 Watch List prospects. Their number is where they are alphabetically in the Watch List.</p>   <p>Let's see who has the lucky numbers for this month's edition:</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>93. [player_tooltip player_id='523871' first='Tessa' last='White'], OH Livonia Franklin/Michigan Elite</strong></h2>   <p>White shows good consistency with her swing and being able to challenge the defense. She plays over the blockers well and makes passers have to scramble to keep the ball in play. As she continues to develop her speed and timing, it should give her more options to finish points.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>61. [player_tooltip player_id='490371' first='Brooklynn' last='Brassard'], OH Mattawan/FaR Out</strong></h2>   <p>Brassard looks to have a high ceiling as a six-rotation outside. She's very explosive at the net and generates a lot of power with her arm speed. She likes to be aggressive and challenge blockers, while also not being afraid to play the boundaries. Her athleticism also translates well to her defensive play.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>79. [player_tooltip player_id='586766' first='Catie' last='Kuchta'], DS/L Mercy/High Performance</strong></h2>   <p>Kuchta got a chance to play in some high-pressure moments with one of the best teams in the state this fall, which should go a long way in her development. She is a scrappy player that stays very light on her feet and is always ready to be on the go. She can get very low to the ground to make a tough dig. Kuchta also has a potent serve to work with.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>37. [player_tooltip player_id='454367' first='Isabelle' last='Lawhorn'], OH/MH Lake Orion/Legacy</strong></h2>   <p>Lawhorn is a 6-footer that has shown she can play anywhere along the net. She's got impressive power in her swing, but also shows the awareness to finish with offspeed shots. Lawhorn is getting more comfortable with her passing and blocking as she has gotten more reps as an outside. There's stilly plenty of room for growth in her game, which could push her to an elite level.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>17. [player_tooltip player_id='454368' first='Lexa' last='Pierson'], OH Milford/L2</strong></h2>   <p>Pierson has really raised her stock in recent years, proving she can be a featured six-rotation outside and hold her own against top competition. Pierson has great natural instincts for all phases of volleyball and she moves with a lot of intent around the court. Her timing and decision-making is getting stronger and stronger each week.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>50. [player_tooltip player_id='443000' first='Samantha' last='Monroe'], MH/RS Marian/L2</strong></h2>   <p>Monroe gets to compete against great hitters each day in practice at Marian, and that should bode well for her progress during club season and in the years ahead. The 6'1” hitter has a lot of versatility in her game. She can go with power, but also has some savvy shots in her arsenal. Her blocking is also on the rise, as her timing is improving.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>26. [player_tooltip player_id='523905' first='Madisyn' last='Bowman'], MH Plymouth Christian/Michigan Elite</strong></h2>   <p>At 6'2” Bowman is someone that can take over a match quickly. Outside of her length, Bowman showed this fall that she can dial up a power swing with the best middles out there. As her aggressiveness has picked up, so has her finishing rate and confidence. Defensively, she's a big problem for opposing hitters to deal with.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>42. [player_tooltip player_id='442969' first='Avery' last='Stepp'], S South Lyon East/Legacy</strong></h2>   <p>Stepp has been able to step into a spotlight setting role at the varsity level since she was a freshman and that has allowed to perform at a high level in national club matchups. Stepp is composed on the court, but her game is aggressive. She gives her hitters a great ball to swing at, and she's quick in her reactions to make a tough set in the midst of a ferocious scramble.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>WL [player_tooltip player_id='442970' first='Aydia' last='Bartz'], DS/L Clarkston/Unified</strong></h2>   <p>Bartz is coming through a program that has been known to develop strong defenders. Over the last year, she seems to have taken some big steps forward in her play. Her decision-making is getting quicker and more purposeful. Bartz looks more aggressive in her play and she's continuing to build on a promising serve.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>WL [player_tooltip player_id='442996' first='Melayna' last='Minyard'], OH/S Chelsea/HaiFive</strong></h2>   <p>Minyard showed her ability to play multiple positions and excel. She's got really good court awareness and shows the ability to adjust the tempo of the offense to what her opponents are doing. Her placement of her sets is improving, and she's improving the timing of her swing. Minyard should be encouraged by her prep season and could be a breakout star next fall.</p>

We conclude a week of Prospect Roulette with the Class of 2027, a class that is stacked with promising talent.